MOS VOLTAGE REGULATOR
First Claim
1. A voltage regulator circuit integrated on a semiconductor substrate for regulating an external voltage supplied to a semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a resistor, a semiconductor switching device having an output circuit operatively connected in series with said resistor across said external voltage supply and having a control terminal, an output node at the junction of said resistor and said semiconductor switching device, a feedback amplifying means operatively connected between said output node and the control terminal of said semiconductor switching device and effective to increase the conductivity of said semiconductor switching device in response to an increase in the voltage level at said output node, whereby increases in the level of said external voltage supply are compensated by an increase in the voltage across said resistor, wherein said feedback amplifying means comprises a multistage circuit, each stage comprising a load device and a semiconductor switching device having an output circuit operatively connected in series with said load device and a control terminal operatively connected to the junction node at the junction between the load device and the semiconductor switching device of the previous stage.
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Abstract
A voltage regulator circuit for use in integrated micro-circuits which may be integrated directly on the semi-conductor chip and is adapted to limit increases in the external supply voltage above that required for effective circuit operation, thereby to limit the increased current and power that would ordinarily result. The circuit comprises a resistor operatively connected in series with a switching device across the supply voltage to form a ratio circuit, the output of which is fed through a feedback amplifier to the control terminal of the switching device. The resulting negative feedback is effective to bias the output in a direction opposed to increases in the external voltage supply. A capacitor may be operatively connected to the output to prevent circuit oscillation.
11 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A voltage regulator circuit integrated on a semiconductor substrate for regulating an external voltage supplied to a semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a resistor, a semiconductor switching device having an output circuit operatively connected in series with said resistor across said external voltage supply and having a control terminal, an output node at the junction of said resistor and said semiconductor switching device, a feedback amplifying means operatively connected between said output node and the control terminal of said semiconductor switching device and effective to increase the conductivity of said semiconductor switching device in response to an increase in the voltage level at said output node, whereby increases in the level of said external voltage supply are compensated by an increase in the voltage across said resistor, wherein said feedback amplifying means comprises a multistage circuit, each stage comprising a load device and a semiconductor switching device having an output circuit operatively connected in series with said load device and a control terminal operatively connected to the junction node at the junction between the load device and the semiconductor switching device of the previous stage.
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2. The voltage regulator circuit of claim 1, wherein said amplifier switching devices are field effect transistors.
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3. The voltage regulator circuit of claim 2, wherein said load defices are field effect transistors.
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4. The voltage regulator circuit of claim 1, wherein said feedback amplifying means is operatively connected to said external voltage supply.
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5. The voltage regulator circuit of claim 4, wherein each stage of said feedback amplifying means is connected across said external voltage supply.
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6. The voltage regulator circuit of claim 1, wherein said switching device is a field effect transistor.
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7. The voltage regulator circuit of claim 6, wherein said resistor comprises an impurity diffused region on said semi-conductor substrate.
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8. The voltage regulator circuit of claim 6, wherein said amplifier switching devices are field effect transistors.
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9. The voltage regulator circuit of claim 8, wherein said load devices are field effect transistors.
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10. The voltage regulator circuit of claim 8, wherein said resistor comprises an impurity diffused region on said semi-conductor substrate.
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11. The voltage regulator circuit of claim 1, further comprising capacitive storage means operatively connected to said output node and effective to stabilize the circuit.
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12. The voltage regulator circuit of claim 11, wherein said feedback amplifying means is operatively connected to said external voltage supply.
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13. The voltage regulator circuit of claim 12, wherein each stage of said feedback amplifying means is connected across said external voltage supply.
Specification